Solomon Wilbur Denton (1816-1864)
}} Biography Solomon W. Denton joined Zion's Camp from Pontiac, Michigan. Later bodyguard to the Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith (1805-1844) and married Joseph's cousin. But then excommunicated in 1839 for alleged plot to kill him. Moved back to Pontiac MI and later served in the US Civil War where he died from disease. Solomon W. Denton was an early LDS convert. "According to his own statement he first encountered Mormonism while visting New York State in 1830, at about age sixteen. Denton became a Mormon the next year and apparently lived in Jackson county, Missouri until about the time of the Mormon expulsion from that place in November 1833." In Kirtland, he lived with the Prophet Joseph Smitha and served as his body guard. He married Fanny M. Stanley who was the daughter of Ruth Mack and one of Joseph's cousins. Zions Camp Participant One of the most interesting episodes in the early history of LDS Church was the march of Zion's Camp (1834). The members of the Church in Missouri were being persecuted, and the Prophet Joseph made it a matter of prayer and received a revelation on February 24, 1834. The Lord instructed the Prophet to assemble at least one hundred young and middle-aged men and to go to the land of Zion, or Missouri. (See D&C 130:19–34.) Zion’s Camp, a group of approximately one hundred and fifty men, gathered at Kirtland, Ohio, in the spring of 1834 and marched to Jackson County, Missouri. By the time they reached Missouri, the camp had increased to approximately two hundred men. Denton participated in Zion's Camp and "after returning to Kirtland from that failed campaign he was "engaged in the printing business carried on by Davis, Rigdon, Cowdery and Smith." Denton was probably employed as an apprentice printer in that same printing office as early as its establishment early in 1834 and he may have worked from Phelps and Cowdery at the same trade when he lived in Jackson county, Missouri." He also served on a mission for the church to Pennsylvania and New York in 1836 with Don Carlos Smith, the Prophet's brother. "Ebenezer Robinson, Denton's co-worker in the Church printing office, records the fact that Soloman W. Denton was a member of the High Priests Quorum at Kirtland, but does not say when he became a member; probably Denton was ordained to that office during the last months of 1836." Finally, Denton was accused of a plot to murder Joseph Smith and was excommunicated from the church in the early months of 1837. US Civil War In 1845 Solomon W. Denton was nominated to be notary public for Oakland County, Michigan (Journal of the Senate of the State of Michigan). He was also a member of the Michigan House of Representatives from Oakland County (1848). He served with Almon Mack, Zebina M. Mowry, Isaac I. Voorheis, Francis Baker,and Ezra P. Baldwin. In addition, Solomon W. Denton was co-editor of the Pontiac newspaper, "The Jacksonian" from 1838 to 1844. He also twice served as Pontiac's postmaster between 1844 and 1860. Solomon W. Denton served in the Civil War. He had two tours of duty. He first enlisted as a Private at Lapeer, Michigan in Company K, Eighth Infantry on September 23, 1861; he was 45 years old. He was mustered on September 23, 1861, and transferred to Company E on October 1, 1861. He was discharged for disability to Beaufort, S. C. on March 5, 1862. At the time of his discharge he was a Corporal. Then on January 20, 1863 he re-enlisted at Troy, Michigan as a Private in Company C, Michigan 8th Calvary. He died of disease at Lexington, Kentucky, on March 19, 1864 and was buried at the National Cemetery in Lexington (grave no. 568). His wife, Fanny M. Denton, filed for a pension on April 18, 1864. In her pension she references Co. C, 8th Michigan Calvary. Marriage and Family Vital Records Oak Hill Gravestone * Gravestone in Oak Hill Cemetery - Oakland County, Michigan * Actual Burial - Lexigton National Cemetery Grave #568 References